Embrace the darkness for Nocturnal by Nature event Aug. 15 at Busch Conservation Area

St. CHARLES, Mo.—Don’t take the darkness for granted—nature never truly sleeps.  The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites you to see the fascinating things the natural world is up to after the sun goes down.

MDC welcomes back Nocturnal by Nature for 2026, a free nighttime event Saturday, Aug. 15 from 7 - 10 p.m. at the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles.  The program is open to all ages and no registration is required.

Discover how nature comes alive at night at MDC’s biggest event of the summer in the St. Louis region.  There will be activities indoors and out.  Inside, visitors can learn all about nocturnal mammals at touch tables featuring pelts and skulls or go exploring in an inflatable cave.  Participants will dissect a real owl pellet to find out what these feathery hunters had for dinner, and kids will have a chance to become bat biologists for the night, too.

Outside, attendees will enjoy the warm summer evening while they identify wild moths drawn to a lighted sheet.  They’ll later take in the sights and sounds of nocturnal critters in their natural habitat through a guided night hike on the Fallen Oak Trail.  Advocacy group Dark Sky Missouri will show the impacts of artificial light on native wildlife.

Participants can bring a blanket or reclining camp chair to scan the skies for shooting stars of the Perseids Meteor Shower the same week it peaks.  Staffed telescopes will enable visitors to probe deeper into the summer night’s celestial wonders. 

The event will offer visitors  a chance to meet live animals, too.  The Raptor Rehabilitation Project will feature an educational table, along with a live owl presentation from 8 - 8:30 p.m.  There will also be appearances by real nocturnal reptiles and amphibians. 

Rounding out the fun will be kids’ crafts, face painting, free snow cones, and an “Ask the Agent” table. 

Nocturnal by Nature is an excellent opportunity to see how the outdoors comes alive at night.  Participants should bring a flashlight or headlamp, bug spray, and dress for the weather.  For more information, go to http://short.mdc.mo.gov/ocB.

The August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area is located at 2360 Highway D, about two miles west of Highway 94.  The event will take place at the visitor center.

Sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed of MDC’s latest programs and events by going to  https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZoP.

MDC is committed to accessibility at all its nature centers, regional facilities, and conservation areas. To request an ADA accommodation for participation in MDC programs, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/accessibility.